Welcome to October!

We had a great turnout of nearly 70 people for our True Crime MCLE at the Pacific Club on September 26. My friends and former colleagues from OCDA, Matt Murphy and Heather Brown, gave the inside story of the twists and turns of the People v. Hossein Nayeri case. We are grateful to Matt and Heather for making the time to give this great presentation. Thanks also to our sponsors who made this great event possible: The Law Office of Brian Gurwitz, Moore Law for Children, Wiechert, Munk & Goldstein, PC, and SMBC Manubank. I would also like to acknowledge our venue sponsor Aaron Malo of Sheppard Mullin for securing this great venue for us. View photos

Please sign up for our final Professional Tool Kit event THIS THURSDAY at the Veronica Beard Store in Fashion Island. Bring a friend/colleague/client to see the latest styles for fall and winter while enjoying champagne. Veronica Beard is graciously donating 15% of the proceeds to the Orange County Women Lawyers Foundation, which supports non-profits supporting women and children and provides stipends to law students in Orange County.

Our BIG event this month is the celebration of our three extraordinary annual award recipients: Attorney of the Year Pamela Traut, Judge of the Year the Honorable Kimberly Menninger, and for the Advancement of Women Award, Everett Dorey LLP. We will also be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Orange County Women Lawyers Association. The event will feature live music, delicious food and cocktails in a beautiful outdoor venue at the VEA Hotel in Newport Beach. Get your ticketsbefore the event sells out!

Two more events are happening this busy October: First, our Members-Only Book Club on October 27, led by Marketa Sims, OC Alternate Defender.

Last but not least, our Membership Committee has organized another of our popular annual Halloween Coffee Meetups on October 31. Wear your costume and register here to share some coffee and pastries with friends and colleagues.

Looking forward to seeing you at the 2025 Gala at the VEA on October 16!

Warmly,

Tracy Hughes

Raines Feldman Littrell LLP

2025 OCWLA President

Welcome to September, OCWLA Members!

Thanks to all of you who helped honor our women judges at the Annual Women Judges Reception on August 21. We had a record turn-out for the event with 144 registered. We are very grateful to our gracious host, Rutan & Tucker, LLP, who helped coordinate the event as it has done the last several years. 

We are also very grateful to our sponsors, including Gill Law Group, PC, CalPrivate Bank, Bock & Plummer, Ferruzzo & Ferruzzo LLP, Steno, Carno Law Group, Kahana Feld, Judicate West, Cottle Keen Lopiccolo & Heyde, LLP, Buchalter, JAMS, Minyard Morris, Rutan & Tucker, LLP, Leslie Law Firm, Mediator Michelle A. Reinglass, Montage Legal Group, Traut Injury Law, Aptus Court Reporting, Silvana Sarkis, and Krystal Mosqueda. Without you this special event would not be possible.

We would also like to thank our gracious sponsors Bock & Plummer, Silvana Sarkis, Leslie Law Firm, and Lexitas Irvine for hosting our first annual Suffragette Day Coffee. Members were able to enjoy breakfast and coffee with colleagues from across Orange County while celebrating the remarkable women who fought for women’s right to vote. We also heard from the League of Women Voters on their work to protect voting rights.

We have an exciting MCLE opportunity coming up September 26, when two former homicide prosecutors will present on the People v. Hosein Nayeri case. The case is the subject of the Hulu documentary “Devil in the Desert,” and the ABC podcast of the same name hit the number one spot in the country for several weeks this summer. Matt Murphy is now with ABC, and Heather Brown has her own practice where she specializes in representing victims of sexual assault. Get your ticket now to hear from these two fantastic speakers while enjoying a delicious lunch at the Pacific Club—this event will sell out.

Also coming up this month is our members-only book club on September 29 at Mimi’s Café in Tustin. OCWLA Past President and current Board Member Dana Heyde will lead the discussion on Mansion Beach by Meg Mitchell Moore.

We have worked with professionals this year to help our members to hone their personal brand and marketing message. Our final event in the professional tool kit series will be generously hosted by the Veronica Beard store in Fashion Island. Members can register to attend this private shopping experience with a friend or client, and the store has graciously agreed to donate 15% of the proceeds to the OCWLA Foundation. Don’t miss this great opportunity to support the OCWLA Foundation, update your wardrobe and network with colleagues and clients. The event will be on October 9 from 4-7 pm.

I’d like to take the opportunity to also give recognition to this year’s OCWLA honorees who will take center stage at the OCWLA Golden Legacy Gala at the VEA hotel on October 16:

Gala tickets are selling fast and the event will sell out. Secure your spot with a sponsorshipto market your business. We are also still soliciting donations for our silent auction.

Also, it’s time for OCWLA’s annual election for ten (10) Director positions. If you are interested in running, and a current member, please find more information here.

Finally, we’d like to highlight some fall pro bono opportunities for our members:

Veterans Legal Institute: 

VA Hospital in Long Beach Clinic

September 19

Family Law Clinic

September 19

Elder Law & Disability Rights Center:

Sign up here!

Estate Plan Clinics

Part 1: September 6, Part 2: September 20 in Mission Viejo

Limited Conservatorship Clinics

September 13 & October 11 at CHOC

Please contact these organizations to reserve your spot!

May your fall be productive and full of happy surprises.

Warmly,

Tracy Hughes

Raines Feldman Littrell LLP

2025 OCWLA President

Happy August to all our members!

In July, the OCWLA celebrated the leadership that formed and grew the organization at our Past Presidents Tea, graciously hosted by Anaheim Mayor and 2014 OCWLA President the Honorable Ashleigh Aiken.

On August 8, OCWLA members gathered at the Buchalter law firm in Irvine to hear from Outlier Creative partner Lora Brown about personal branding and marketing. The presentation included tips about how to create a LinkedIn profile and craft your social media for maximum professional impact. Stay tuned for news on the third event in the toolkit series coming this Fall. 

Be sure to register for one of our most popular annual events, the Women Judges Reception, on August 21st at the Boardwalk in Irvine. The evening event provides a wonderful opportunity to meet and mingle with local bench officers, and celebrates the very accomplished women judges of Orange County.

Also coming up this month is our Suffragette Coffee, from 8-10 am on August 26th at Lexitas in Irvine. Our suffragette sisters had to fight for the passage of the 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920. Learn about recent legal issues related to voting rights while catching up with friends and colleagues at another of our popular coffees.

Our OCWLA Members-Only book club will be meeting this month on August 25 to discuss the book Upgrade by Blake Crouch. Allen Bourgeois of Verus Forensic, and Denetta Scott of Mortenson Taggart Adams LLP will be leading the discussion at Mimi’s in Tustin.

Finally, as a reminder, we will be celebrating our incredible 2025 OCWLA awardees, Pamela Traut, Judge Kimberly Menninger and Everett Dorey, LLP, at our annual OCWLA Gala, where this year we also mark the 50th anniversary of the organization! If you would like to support this festive event while promoting your organization, please consider a sponsorship. We are also still seeking donations of goods and services for the gala silent auction.

Wishing everyone a wonderful end of summer!

Warmly,

Tracy Hughes

Raines Feldman & Littrell

2025 OCWLA President

Dear OCWLA Members,

Welcome to the month of June! With a few days left before the official start of summer, OCWLA has been staying busy. On June 11, we hosted our annual summer membership mixer at Zov’s in Tustin. Over 100 attendees connected with friends and colleagues and enjoyed delicious food and drinks. The OCWLA book club met on May 19, led by Maria Bashaw of Maldonado Bashaw Law, to discuss the novel “James” by Percival Everett.

OCWLA & OCWLA Foundation Summer Membership Mixer at Zov's Tustin

We were particularly excited to announce our 2025 awardees at the mixer.  We had an usually large and accomplished group of nominees this year, in every category, and it was challenging for our Awards Committee to select a single nominee from so many outstanding candidates. Here are the 2025 OCWLA Award winners:

• Advancement of Women Award: Everett Dorey, LLP

• Attorney of the Year: Pamela Traut, Traut Injury Law

• Judge of the Year: The Honorable Kimberly Menninger, Orange County Superior Court. 

We will be celebrating the remarkable accomplishments of our awardees at our 2025 Golden Legacy Gala on October 17, 2025 at the beautiful Vea Resort in Newport Beach. We are still seeking sponsors for this event, where we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Orange County Women Lawyer’s Association. We are also seeking donations for our silent auction. Please contact us if you are interested in a sponsorship to help promote your business while supporting OCWLA. Tickets will go on sale soon!

Our upcoming events include our Past Presidents Tea, honoring our OCWLA past presidents, on July 19th. Please also mark your calendars for our Women Judges Reception, which will be on August 21, 2025 at the Boardwalk in Irvine. Our June book club meeting will be on June 23rd and the featured book is “Wedding People,” by Alison Espach.

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy summer.

Warmly,

Tracy Hughes

2025 OCWLA President

Robinson Calcagnie, Inc.

Dear OCWLA Members,

It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 2025 Orange County Women Lawyers Association President. We begin this momentous year of our 50th anniversary with heavy hearts as we grieve with our Los Angeles County neighbors in the wake of the catastrophic wildfires. Our thoughts are with our members and neighbors who are suffering incredible loss right now.

As I mentioned at our installation dinner in December, one of our goals this year is to provide tangible opportunities for our community to support one another. We have listed on our website some ways we can support the fire victims and first responders. 

Goals for our fiftieth anniversary year include:

• Offering advocacy and policy training for lawyers interested in advocating for women’s issues, locally and globally;
• Continuing to support our affiliate partners including the Unity Bar to support diversity on the Orange County Superior Court bench;
• Strengthening connections and networking opportunities for women in business and women lawyers through joint events; and
• Continuing to offer groundbreaking, one of a kind MCLE’s, and wonderful events like our gala and women judges reception.    

This month, we will be offering the first in a “Professional Tool Kit” series. On January 29^th, we will be hosting a photographer to take professional headshots for registrants. Hair and makeup touchups will also be available. Our first MCLE of the year, Celebrating Seven Historic Female Firsts on California’s Courts of Appeal will be on February 18^th.

I am excited about the year ahead for the OCWLA! Thank you for entrusting me with the privilege of leading this organization. If you would like to help the fire victims and first responders, please see the resource link here.

Warmly,

Tracy Hughes

2025 OCWLA President

Robinson Calcagnie, Inc.

Happy December OCWLA Members!

As I write my last message as OCWLA President, I reflect on what has been a truly amazing year for this organization. It has been an honor to lead this inspiring group of professionals who continue to break barriers, advocate for justice, and support one another in our legal community. I am proud of all that we have accomplished together. From hosting impactful events and professional development opportunities, to creating a space where we can all lift each other up, we have truly made a difference. I am grateful for the camaraderie and the spirit of collaboration that define this organization, and for the ways we’ve shown resilience in facing challenges.

A big thanks to all who attended and supported our Installation Dinner & Holiday Celebration at the Fairmont Newport Beach on December 5. Special kudos go to Tracy Hughes, who planned this spectacular event, and Heidi Plummer, whose snow machines and invaluable contributions made for the perfect kickoff to the holiday season. Thanks also to the Honorable Sheila Hanson, the newly-elected Assistant Presiding Judge of the Orange County Superior Court, for her inspiring words and for swearing in the OCWLA Board and the Foundation Board. 

Wishing you all a joyful holiday season and a new year full of opportunities.

Welcoming the 2025 OCWLA Board:

Executive Officers

Tracy Hughes, President

Heidi Plummer, Vice President

Sayuri P. Espinosa, Treasurer

Antoinette Naddour, Secretary

Caroline Djang, Immediate Past President

Board of Directors

Mimi Ahn

Shirin Forootan

Betty Fracisco

Dana Heyde

Suzanne Leslie

Ashley Peniche Montenegro

Amber Poston

Janani S. Rana

Laurie Rowen

Heather Stangle-Smith

Also welcoming the 2025 OCWLA Foundation Board:

Executive Officers

Caroline Djang, President

Tracy Hughes, Vice President

Eemaan Jalili, Treasurer

Heidi Plummer, Secretary

Board of Directors

Cheryl L. Barrett

Maria Bashaw

Jeanne Behling

Jeannette Garcia

Lauren Johnson-Norris

Kristine Koo

Farnaz Salessi

Warmly,

Caroline Djang

2024 OCWLA President